Distribution

Yorkshire, West Riding Distribution of West Riding Surnames

Extracts from English Surname Series, Yorks - West Riding by George Redmonds (Phillimore)

THE TILLOTSON FAMILY OF COWLING. 1379-1969 

In the section on surnames of relationship, metronyrnics in the frequency lists of the 19608 were examined and the opinion advanced that many of them could be traced to a single source, although in theory each could be thought to have multiple origins. The theory of multiple origins for such surnames is, indeed, one, which does not seem to have been challenged. In the previous section, in dealing with Moulson, the point was not resolved, although the evidence seemed to point to a single source for Moulsons of the West Riding. It is now proposed to examine the surname Tillotson in much greater detail to throw light on the issue.

There is no doubt about the meaning of the surname. Dr. Reaney quotes one example only and states simply "son of Tillot". Tillot was a diminutive of Till, itself from Matilda. The example quoted by Dr. Reaney is one of only two Tillotsons which appeared in the poll tax for the whole of the West Riding in 1379. Both were in the village of Cowling, a township in Kildwick parish, close to the Lancashire border. John and William Tillotson were almost certainly the sons of Tillot de Northwod assessed in the same township. This provides us with an almost precise date of the surname's origin.

There are a number of factors which help to explain why no other Tillotsons should have originated in the West Riding.

    (A)     In general, surnames based on a woman's christian name occurred much less frequently than those based on a man s. This probably reflects the more important legal status of the man in the society. It is possible that Tillot de Northwod was a widow or an heiress, both circumstances, which might affect her children's adoption of a surname.

    (B)     Matilda was not uncommon as a christian name at this time but its diminutive Tillot seems to have had a restricted use in the West Riding. The only area where it occurred at all frequently in the 1379 poll tax was in Craven, a region including parts of Airedale, Wharfedale and Ribblesdale, e.g. Tillot Clynch (Settle), Tillot de Carr (Rathmell), Til lot llobwyff (Thornton), Til lot Punte (Arncliffe).

There are several obvious variants of Tillotson at the present day but none is common: Tillitson, Tillottson, Tilotson. The surname has suffered little distortion over the last 6oo years, probably because its significance is clear and it remained for so long confined to the valley in which it originated. Even so, as Tillotson ramified in the 16th and 17th centuries, one or two variants developed which are of interest. The first, Tillonson or Tillingson, does not seem to have survived, e.g. 1663 Elizabeth Tillingson or Tillitson [Kildwick P.R.], but the second, TilIson or Tilson, raises an important point. Either of these surnames could have developed from the form "Till", e.g. 1379 William Tilleson (Wetherby) [P.T.Y.]. There is, however, no evidence of a hereditary family name of this origin. The first examples of Tillson are in Halifax parish alongside Tillotson and as both forms exist side by side in the township of Sowerby, the likelihood is that in this instance Tilson is a reduced form of Tillotson e.g. 1641 George Tilleson, John Tiltson (Sowerby). The following account of the family does not concern itself with either Tilson or Tillson, for both are represented by a single example in the West Riding in 1965 (T.D.). Finally, it is worth noting the rare northern names Tillston and Tilston, which could easily have arisen as variants but for which no evidence is available.

Although 15th-century evidence is lacking, the first examples of the surname in the early 16th century were significantly located in Steeton and Cowling (1511), Cowling (1524) [SR] and Carleton (1509) [WYR.]. These three townships are all within a mile or so of one another in central Airedale. I have not found the surname elsewhere in the West Riding before these dates and it is noticeable that it is absent, in the subsidy roll of 1524, from Keighlcy, Leeds and Bradford, the three areas in which it later became well established.

The Tillotsons of Kildwlck Parish

Whatever its status in the 14th century the Tillotson family had, by the 16th century, risen to a position in the parish that placed it above most other families. Peter Tyllotson in a muster of 1511 (see above) was one of four Cowling men, and the only one possessing horse and harness. Similarly, in the same muster roll, Stephen Tyllotson of Steeton in the same parish, also possessed horse and harness, one of two men in a group of eight to do so. Almost certainly, by this time, the family belonged to that extensive class of West Riding yeomen whom made their living from farming and the woolen trade. Throughout their history Tillotsons have been described most commonly as yeoman, weaver and clothier.

Kildwick parish registers survive from 1575 and from then until the end of the 18th century at least, the family maintained its association with Cowling and ramified strongly within the parish. The evidence indicates that the link with Cowling itself was broken after 400 years, but the family continued to flourish in other townships and is still well represented there to this day. In Silsden alone there are five Tillotsons listed in 1965 (T.D.), including at least one farmer.

Although the parish registers are not entirely accurate for the period 1575-1790, it is possible to provide information from them which illustrates the distribution of the family within the parish

Throughout the 18th century the occupation was usually given and it is clear that the Cowling Tillotsons were farmers and clothiers, whereas the Silsden family were masons.

Tillotsons in Carleton

It has already been mentioned that the surname Tillotson appeared in Carleton in 1509. In view of the fact that this date marked the registration of a will, it seems probable that sometime in the 15th century a branch of the Cowling family had moved the short distance into this neighbouring parish. The surname persisted in Carleton throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries at least, and was responsible for the increased distribution of Tillotson after the middle of the 16th century, sending one branch at least into the next valley, Wharfedale. If the Cowling and Carleton branches are considered together, it is clear that from the 14th century until the present day there has been a well-established nucleus of Tillotsons in the middle reaches of Airedale between Keighley and Skipton (Map, A.2). Eventually, of course, the surname became distributed over a much increased area-still maintaining a strong hold on Airedale as the following table shows:

Airedale 1500-1800

By the middle of the 1 6th century, Tillotson was spreading both up and down Airedale, becoming established in areas where it is still found. The most significant move was in the 18th century, when it appeared in a number of villages in the immediate vicinity of Leeds, where a number of industries had developed. Several of these villages were situated on the edge of the coalfield.

Wharfedale 1500-1800

Unlike Airedale this valley has not been industrialised. The first Tillotsons to move here were probably farmers and tine settlement persisted throughout the period 1500-1800. Although it is possible that the surname survives in the upper dale the telephone directories show it as existing only in those small towns in tine lower dale which serve as dormitories for Leeds and Bradford.

Calderdale 1500-1800

The records for Keighley of 1379 [P.T.Y.] and 1545 [S.R.] reveal that there had been movement between Halifax and Keighley in the period 1379-1545. The early appearance of Tillotson in Halifax parish suggests that there was a two-way communication. It was, in fact, a family living at Sowerby in this parish that provided the most famous Tillotson of all Archbishop Tillotson was born at Old Haugh End in 1630.

Outside the West Riding 1500-1800

The only long-distance moves I have been able to trace to the early part of this period, are those to York] and its neighbourhood moves which appear to have had little lasting influence on the surname's distribution. However, in the 17th century, the with of Tillotsons from Bamoldswick, Colne (Lanes.) (Map, A 1) and London, all in the York Registry, testify to the two most significant moves. All these men were described as yeoman or clothier and Tillotson now found frequently in both East Lancashire and London, no doubt often has a long history in both areas.

Distribution of Tillotson 1968 [T.D.]

This is not a very common name and tine total number at the present day in the T.D. is only 165. If all those places where the name occurs three times or less are ignored, the field of distribution is considerably limited and Scotland, Ireland and Wales are eliminated. A total of 41 names are accounted for in this way and the remaining 124 are distributed as follows: